Saturday, 26 March 2016

PHOTO GALLERY #11: Okeanos, submarine of the Hellenic Navy

S118 Okeanos Type 209/1500

Today, March 26th of 2015, I had the opportunity to visit some Hellenic Navy ships and boats that were moored at Piraeus Port for the celebrations of the Greek Independence Day on March 25, the day that commemorates the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821. Such day of the year is a great opportunity
for citizens of Athens and Piraeus to visit warships of Hellenic Navy
that visit Piraeus for three days (March 25-27). Once again I was there, not so much for the other ships but especially for the submarine Okeanos S118 (English: Ocean), a unique boat in the Greek fleet. This time I skipped visiting the fast attack craft that was there because I have visited already two boats of the class (photos of Daniolos and Roussen); I should mention that usually Hellenic Navy brings one frigate, one submarine and one fast attack missile craft for the celebrations at Piraeus. The fast attack craft was Ritsos P71, the newest boat in the Roussen class (5th in the series) and the newest vessel in the Greek fleet. Some photos of the boat I will include them in the article I have written about the Roussen class.

Okeanos at front of Kanaris

Okeanos at front of Kanaris

The Okeanos, is the third vessel of the Poseidon class (Type 209/1200); you may compare Okeanos with the fourth member in the class, Pontos, that was not upgraded here. The boat was upgraded with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, modern electronic equipment (flank array sonar, modern fire control system, electro-optic mast, SATCOM, ESM and sub Harpoon firing capability among others) and noise reduction measures at a Greek shipyard as part of the Neptune II program, and re-commissioned into the Navy in 2014 (the ships had been launched though in 2009). Okeanos was launched officially at the premises of the Hellenic
Shipyards, in Skaramagkas on October 20 of 2014. This is the first and
sole Type 209 submarine worldwide until today that has been upgraded with
the addition of the Siemens AIP system, a technology that allows Okeanos to operate without need of atmospheric oxygen (using a snorkel). The addition of the system increased the length of the submarine from 55,8m to 62m. The boat now has the designation name Type 209/1500 and it is equal in capabilities with the new Type 214 submarines according to its commander. It is the first time worldwide that such a complex project had been carried out on a Type 209 submarine and indeed for the first time ever entirely in Greece. The program was cancelled though for the rest three boats in the class in 2009.

I would like to thank a lot the commander and the crew of Okeanos for their extreme kindness as well as for the private tour (once again, because of getting there early in the morning, I was completely alone in the tour where I stayed enough time for plenty of questions). I should mention that photos of the interior were forbidden, a common practice that applies to all Greek ships and boats. With this boat, I have visited all the classes of Hellenic navy submarines. Σας ευχαριστώ!